LAGOS ASSEMBLY BREAKS TRADITION FOR OLUWOLE AWOLOWO

•Says he was Prince of Yoruba race

•How he rejected Abuja land as Confab member

•What he told Abacha about Nigeria

                                                                  TODAY, we are holding a special parliamentary session in honour of a former member. It is an exceptional event because this House only holds such sessions for its former Speakers who have passed on or sitting members who died while still serving in the House. The House decided to give the honour because like a Speaker of the House, late Hon. Oluwole Awolowo is the son of the prominent Nigerian leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who is well revered both within Nigeria and outside for his political wizardry.

It is an established fact that at the altar of Yoruba’s greatness, Wole Awolowo, like his visionary father before him, made himself the ‘sacrifice’. For this cause and reason, the Lagos State House of Assembly deemed it worthy to honour an exceptional Nigerian, son of the ‘President Nigeria never had’. Chief Awolowo, your footprints can never be erased from the sands of the Niger because your enduring legacies have become an institution embedded in the Nigerian polity.”
With those emotive words, the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday explained its decision to make history by setting aside tradition, to unprecedentedly honour the late publisher of the Tribune titles, whom it described as “a prince of Yoruba race”.
Waxing philosophical, Speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji went the William Shakespeare’s way in projecting the personality that laid in state in the hallowed chamber.
“When beggars die, there are no comets seen, the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. Here lies a prince of Yoruba, the son of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. When Awolowo died we did not have that opportunity to celebrate him in the Assembly, but today gives an opportunity to do what we did not do then, now that his only surviving son has passed on,” Ikuforiji stated.
The late vice-chairman of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN Plc) was not only a member of the Assembly between 1979 and 1983, representing Apapa Constituency, he at various times, served as chairman of committees on Education and Environment.
Oluwole Awolowo’s body rode in a glittering ash casket in a blaze of glory into the Assembly for the historic special parliamentary session, straight from London in a presidential jet.
When his remains arrived the presidential wing at about 6.00 a.m yesterday, his children, family members and friends like Chief Ebenezer Babatope and top management members of ANN plc, led by the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Edward Dickson were on hand to receive the body, amid  heavy security presence.
From the airport to the state assembly, Alausa, Lagos practically stood still for him as the long convoy led by the M.I.C sleek vehicle bearing his coffin rode through a clear highway with other motorists obviously paying a last respect by standing still as the body began his final journey home.
Memories of both the senior and junior Awolowo were relived at the special parliamentary session as legacies of both were enunciated by speaker after speaker in the high-profile gathering that also had in attendance the former Lagos State governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Also at the session, presided over by Ikuforiji, and attended by serving lawmakers were, former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Abiodun Ogunleye; Senators Tony Adefuye and Olabiyi Durojaiye, members of the Awolowo family led by Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, spokesperson for the Action Congress of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former Lagos State Attorney General, Professor Yemi Osibajo.
The lawmakers, who spoke in turn, said the sage was an icon of progressive politics that gave meaning to the lives of many Nigerians through his free education policy, among others, pointing out that his late son, equally touched many lives, just as he remained humble despite being born into an affluent and prominent family.
In his tribute, Ikuforiji,  said Wole  lived a good life worthy of celebration as an individual and lawmaker, pointing out that his contributions to lawmaking and people’s welfare could not be quantified.
He urged that the good life lived by the deceased should be emulated by his children and prayed God to strengthen Mama, HID Awolowo and for all members of the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
In his contribution, House committee chairman on Education, Wahab Alawiye-King, who currently occupies the position the deceased held in the second republic described late Awolowo as a unique person who had a mind of his own.
Alawiye-King recalled that the young Awolowo at the age of 17 decided to join the opposition party, the defunct NCNC despite the fact that his father was the leader and founder of the progressive party, the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
“The late Hon Oluwole Awolowo is a unique person, he has a special character and a mind of his own. Despite the fact that his father was in the progressive camp as founder and leader of UPN, he decided to join the opposition NCNC at a young age of 17 then,” he recalled.
Speaking further, he said the former publisher impacted positively on the lives of common people in the state by moving some of the life-changing motions on the floor of the House as lawmaker and chairman of committee of the House.
Another lawmaker, Hon Rotimi Olowo, said the deceased lived a modest life and never craved to accumulate wealth despite being born into affluence.
The lawmaker said the deceased deserved being emulated, just as he also lauded his ability to manage the Awolowo dynasty after the exit of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, pointing out that there was never any family dispute over the assets left behind by his father.
He said, “His ability to manage the family deserves emulation. He was a great manager of people and assets and a great welfarist who decided not to have his car at the expense of his staff and editors.”
Hon Bisi Yusuf on his part noted that the late sage’s quotation inspired him to become a politician. He added  that the senior Awolowo had no rival in terms of his contribution he had been able to achieved especially in relation to free education he bestowed on the people of the western region.
Hon Olumuyiwa Jimoh, representing Apapa, the same constituency that the deceased represented, described late Awolowo as a true son of his father, saying he was worth the honour being done him.
The legislator described him as the most successful Nigerian newspaper publisher having been able to pilot the Nigerian Tribune successfully over the years as the oldest surviving newspaper in the country.
According to him, the other newspapers that existed alongside the Nigerian Tribune had since folded up.
He, therefore, enjoined the younger generation to continue to emulate the virtues left behind by the deceased.
According to Hon Omotayo Oduntan, who said he benefitted from the free education policy of Chief Awolowo, noted that though the deceased also made his mark, the shoe left by his father was too big for him to wear.
In his own contribution, another lawmaker, Hon Abiodun Tobun, described Oluwole’s death as a big loss to the country in general and Lagos State in particular.
He saw the death as a big loss to prominent towns and settlements across the country where the deceased was honoured with chieftaincy titles, including Ikenne, Odofin, Owo, among others.
“I pray God to assist the family to bear the irreparable loss,” he said.
Also in his own contribution, Hon Lanre Ogunyemi, said the deceased former lawmaker and publisher would be remembered for his modesty, not being extravagant and humble as well as his major contribution to governance and lawmaking.
“At this point, we cannot but commiserate with Mama, who went through the pains of losing a dear son in the 60s and has to go through another pain right now with the passage of Hon Oluwole Awolowo,” he said, just as he prayed God to give Mama and the rest of the family the strength to carry on with the responsibilities required of the Awolowo family.
Speaking, Hon A. Omisore, who recalled that he was a beneficiary of the free education policy, declared that the entire Yoruba both within and outside the country were mourning over the death of Oluwole Awolowo.
However, he charged the Awolowo family to ensure that the legacy left behind by the sage, which was kept intact by the deceased while alive, should not be allowed to flounder.
He specifically requested that the Nigerian Tribune newspapers must not be allowed to lose their progressive posturing.
“It is not how long, but how well a man lives that matters. This man lived a life of example and give succour to people,” Hon Omowumi Olatunji-Edet declared.
She prayed that God would continue to sustain the Awolowo family, and for people to remember them for the problems they were able to solve and not the ones created.
For Hon Dayo Fafunmi, the death of Awolowo should be seen as an opportunity for Yoruba to be more united under the progressive banner, adding that “the unity of Yoruba is sacrosanct, let us remain united and indivisible so that we can forster the interest of Yoruba.”
According to Hon Bayo Oshinowo, who went jocular as he exchanged banters with Speaker Ikuforiji, said he would not have been a lawmaker neither Ikuforiji;  were it not for the free education policy introduced by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“Today is not a sad day. Why we are here is because Papa (Awolowo) has paid a worthy price. It is, therefore, a blessed day,” he declared, pointing out that the deceased was undergoing a journey that was already written by the Creator.
Leader of the House, Honourable Ajibayo Adeyeye, said the deceased lawmaker was passionate about Apapa Constituency he represented, as he recalled the argument he made on the floor on the need to move a trailer park off the Apapa road due to the menace the trucks constituted.
The lawmaker said even though some of “that problem is still staring us in the face.”
Deputy Speaker, Taiwo Kolawole, in his contribution, described the late Awolowo as very bold.
He also counselled the progressives to come together under an umbrella so that the Yoruba could remain united.
Son of the late publisher, Babajide, who spoke on behalf of the family, eulogised the virtues of his father, saying he was the man of the people and always ready to help someone in need, sometime against his own personal comfort.
He said one would always see some new faces around his late father each time his children visited him in Ikenne, declaring that his calling on earth was to always help someone in need. “He scored an ‘A’ in it,” he added.
Senator Tony Adefuye, who spoke on behalf of friends of the deceased, paid tributes to the sterling qualities exhibited by the deceased, saying he was kind, generous and humbled himself anywhere he went.
According to him, “Wole was a major force in the Awolowo dynasty. He was a man of the people. Wole has his own peculiar aura, recalling how surprised some of them were when the deceased won Apapa constituency in the Second Republic where other ethnic nationalities predominated.”
A procession was later conducted round the remains of the former legislator, first by the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, followed by leaders and elders and finally by members of the Awolowo family, including children of the deceased.
Thereafter, more tributes poured in for the departed at a service of songs held for him on Wednesday in Apapa, Lagos.
Chief Dayo Abatan, a member of the  Awoist Movement, which the deceased also belonged, in an emotion-laden tribute,  noted that Chief Oluwole’s  unbreakable spirit sustained the movement at a period that it was illegal to have such an association in the country.
Speaking further, Chief Abatan described how the deceased turned down a gift of a plot of land offered him as a member of the nation’s Constitution Conference in Abuja many years ago.
“I remember how the late Wole also simply told the then head of state, the late General Sani Abacha, that what he wanted was an assurance from him (Abacha) that  Nigeria would grow peacefully and remain peaceful. The late military head of state asked him to make  his request as a member of a 16-man delegation to Abuja,” he said.
In his own tribute, Engineer Banji Aralepo, a member of Doma Club, which the deceased was a pioneer president, described the deceased as a man of exemplary character.
“Under his leadership, there was love, togetherness and peace. He was able to bring us closer to his father, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”
Describing the deceased as a worthy ambassador of Apapa Local Government Area, the chairman of the local government Ayodeji Joseph believed that Chief Wole Awolowo’s  memory would always remain indelible in the minds of the people of  the local government.
Describing the news of his death as a rude shock to the association, the president of Ibadan Grammar. School Old Students’ Association, Prof. Charles  stated that though the deceased was born with a silver spoon, who was expected to school abroad, but his father decided to send him to the school under the watchful eyes of Pa Emmanuel Alayande.
A friend of the deceased, Otunba Jide  Oshinubi, described the deceased as a kind person and a true Nigerian.
‘He would never discriminate. A true family man, who loved his family,’ he stated.
In his own remark the President of Apapa club Tunde Akin-Taylor described Chief Oluwole as a man who shunned elitist trait.
“He lived a good life and fought a good fight.  He was a grass root man, who lived a good life and left a worthy legacies.”